GET FIT! Helen Koya’s Fitness Builder Tips To Drop Weight Fast! (What And How To Eat!)

By Helen Koya | August 18, 2015 | Fitness

For this #TransformationTuesday, we revisit one of our hottest fitness interview from last year with professional fitness competitor Helen Koya! She shares some of her fave nutrition tips to help get your body ripped!

As a fitness competitor, diet is everything. This was a totally new area for me when I started bodybuilding, and everything I have learned about nutrition I learned from my boyfriend, who is a qualified and professional nutritionist, and his team The Physique Lab. He was the one who got me to where I was for my first bodybuilding show.

When I am preparing for a show my numbers, along with cardio and weight training, are manipulated to get me to the best condition I can be at that time. That means more protein, less carbs and a very clean diet.

Why you may not need to follow such strict guidelines, here are some of my secrets to drop a few extra lbs.

PAM Cooking Spray. To cut back on calories and fat, I turn to this line of cooking spray to prepare my dishes. It allows me to save a few calories of fat for my actual food.

Non-fat Cheese. I consume mainly non-fat varieties of cheeses and eat regular sparingly. One to try? Lifetime Cheese in a variety of flavors.

Weighing Food. Using my food scale I can make meals and know the exact portion size I’m going to intake. It helps me keep track of my food consumption. You can keep it simple with a scale like this one, or take it up a notch with the Etekcity Smart Nutrition Food Scale, that connects to your smartphone to track your intake.

MyFitnessPal.com. A site that allows you to track what you eat on your computer or your smartphone, this is one majorly cool app that I adore. With the macronutrient numbers my boyfriend gives to me to balance my carbs, fat, protein and fiber, I use the app to make sure I stay within these numbers. It takes out the guesswork and makes tracking super easy and effective.

But let’s not get this twisted. I still enjoy on a regular basis my local ramen noodle spot, Brooklyn Bagel and Chirping Chicken. I enjoy everything in moderation because there’s more to life than steamed chicken, brown rice and boiled vegetables!

Helen Koya is a British actress and fitness enthusiast who competes in bodybuilding and powerlifting competitions. Read more of Helen’s fierce fitness tips. Follow Helen on Instagram @helenkoya.